Govt seeks explanation from 2 Himachal DGPS
DGP (prisons) Goyal had written to CBI about DGP Mardi’s meeting with former SP, an accused in custodial death case, in jail
SHIMLA : Himachal Pradesh government has sought an explanation from director general of police (DGP) Sita Ram Mardi (1986 IPS) and his colleague DGP (prisons) Somesh Goyal (1984 IPS) on their conduct and breach of rules.
Sita Ram Mardi along with southern range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Asif Jalal and Shimla superintendent of police (SP) Omapati Jamwal visited sub jail in Kaithu on February 10.
Mardi had claimed he visited jail to inspect ongoing construction work at Kaithu Jail. But soon after, allegations came that Mardi met former superintendent of police and an accused in the custodial death case, DW Negi.
Negi has been charged for conspiring custodial death of Suraj, one of the six suspected for rape and murder of a girl whose naked body was found in Bankufur forest near Hilaila village in Shimla.
Later, DGP (prisons) Somesh Goyal filed a written complaint to the state home department stating that Mardi breached jail security and met Negi without seeking prior permission of the court.
He also sent a a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stating the scenario of meeting between the two. Negi, known for his proximity with former chief minister Virbhadra Singh is close to Sita Ram Mardi. As per the sources, former chief minister Virbhadra Singh's security officer Padam Thakur was also present in the jail when Mardi met Negi.
The state home department has issued notices to both Mardi and Goyal seeking an explanation for their conduct and Mardi’s reason to visit jail and Goyal’s letter to the CBI regarding the alleged visit. “We have sought replies from both of them,” chief secretary Vineet Chawdhary.
Home secretary Prabodh Saxena said it will take time to study the case. “It's a different kind of case and we will have to study the replies,” he said.
After Mardi's visit, Himachal Pradesh prison department had issued notice to Kaithu Jail superintendent Lalit Mohan Sharma for facilitating a meeting between Mardi and Negi. JAMMU : A Bar Council of India (BCI) team on Friday met the representatives of the Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) who refuted allegations that the lawyer of the Kathua rape and murder victim was prevented from appearing in court by fellow advocates.
A five-member fact-finding committee of the Bar Council of India is visiting here to find out the truth behind the Kathua rape and murder case and the role of lawyers after this issue came to light.
On Thursday evening the BCI team had visited the Rassana area, met with the victim’s kin and agitating people of the area, who were demanding a CBI probe into the incident.
Last week, after direction from Supreme Court, the Bar Council of India had constituted a committee headed by former high court chief justice Tarun Agarwal to visit Kathua and Jammu.
It learnt that the committee also met the lawyers in Kathua, who were accused of obstructing the crime branch team from filing the chargesheet in the case on April 9.
The lawyers apprised the panel that they only lodged a protest against the inquiry carried out by crime branch and never prevented it from presenting the challan in the case.
JAMMU BAR SETS RECORD STRAIGHT
Meanwhile, J&K High Court Bar Association president BS Slathia said, “Around a 1,000 lawyers were present during the open house meeting with the BCI panel. We presented our view to the panel and gave a clarification on a few issues. We (Jammu Bar) never objected to lawyer Deepika Rajawat from representing the victim. She (Deepika) was even present during the case hearing on April 9 and 11 and no one intimated or threatened her. It seems that the allegations against me and the Bar were just to gain quick media publicity.”
“It was apprised to the panel that I never instigated Jammu youth for resorting to violence during Jammu bandh on April 11. The people of Jammu voluntarily and peacefully supported the Bandh and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere,” added Slathia.
“The lawyers in one voice have demanded a CBI probe into the case for a free and impartial probe as they do not trust the investigation carried out by the crime branch, which had many lacunas,” he added.
The BCI will place its report before the apex court in the coming week.
The girl’s body was recovered from Rassana forest in Kathua on January 17, a week after she went missing.
Last week, the crime branch investigating the case had filed a chargesheet against eight persons including a juvenile for their alleged role in the rape and murder of the eight-year-old tribal girl.
Jammu region has been on the edge since this brutal incident came to light. The bar associations have been opposing the investigation carried out by local crime branch for being lopsided and a deliberate attempt to target the minority Dogras.
SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE NEGI HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING CUSTODIAL DEATH OF SURAJ, ONE OF THE SIX SUSPECTED FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF A GIRL WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND IN BANKURA FOREST NEAR HILAILA VILLAGE IN SHIMLA
ARTIST’S HOUSE ATTACKED FOR DRAWING VICTIM’S PHOTOGRAPH
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A group of men allegedly attacked the house of artist Durga Malathi in Kerala’s Palakkad on Thursday for drawing the picture of the eight-year-old girl gang-raped